Crafting Bright

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you gorgeously bright crafts. I so need to learn how to crochet! Check back soon for some more of the most inspirational photographers on Flickr.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

• The wonderful colours in Stitching.. just because.. by Carina » Polka & Bloom
  
• The adorably cute jewelry inspiration by {JooJoo}
  
• The colourful crochet in working... by Emma Lamb
  
• The beautiful Assorted Crochet Frames by Coco Rose1
  

Have a sweet day!

Hand-made chocolate butterflies

Chocolate butterflies
What you will need:

• Butterfly chocolate mould
• White chocolate drops
• Pink dusting powder
• Blue dusting powder

Instructions

1. Temper (melt) white chocolate
2. Stir in pink powdered food colouring a little at a time until you have desired colour. Stir well so colour is even
3. Spoon chocolate into icing bottle or bag fitted with a small nozzle
4. Squeeze chocolate into moulds
5. Lightly tap moulds so chocolate lays flat and air bubbles are removed, and leave to set
6. Turn out chocolate butterflies
7. Repeat steps 1-6 with blue food colouring

I displayed my chocolate butterflies in my perch glass apothecary jar with pink and white Easter M&M candy on my Easter table this year. I love how bright and colourful they look and will definitely be using this idea again on my candy tables and not just at Easter!






Have a sweet day!

Cute Laundry

This week on "Wonderful World of Etsy" I bring you a selection of some cute laundry-inspired finds from Etsy. From the chic 'keep calm' poster to the pretty bright patterned ironing board cover, they are sure to make laundry day more fun!

• Keep calm and laundry on
• Scandi clothespin peg bag
• Ironing board - peacock feathers
• Laundry room art

Have a sweet day!

Cape Henley

Before I visited the Country Living Spring Fair I loved Cape Henley. They love France and New England so they've combined the two and put together a range of home and garden accessories, and furniture that captures the essence of this style. They have lots of whitewashed wooden furniture, distressed rattan and the prettiest vintage floral and check cushions.



I love their weathered rattan trunks, which would make really good laundry baskets and the ceramic bird napkin holders are the cutest!



Have a sweet day!

Gluten-free mint choc chip cupcakes

Gluten-free mint choc chip cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients

• 90g butter, softened
• 80g Hotel Chocolat dark chocolate buttons
• 160 ml (2/3 cup) semi-skimmed milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint essence
• 220g (1 cup) brown sugar
• 100g (2/3 cup) gluten free self-raising flour, sieved
• 2 tablespoons Hotel Chocolat organic cocoa powder, sieved

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F)
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases
3. Place chocolate and milk in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until smooth
4. Beat butter, eggs, peppermint essence and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour
5. Stir in flour, cocoa, and warm chocolate mix until mixed thoroughly
6. Divide mixture among cases
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes
8. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool

To decorate (24 cupcake size cakes)

What you will need

• 24 fondant blue butterflies
• 56 small fondant flowers
• Vanilla buttercream
• Grass icing tube no.233
• Icing bag or bottle

Instructions

1. Spoon green buttercream into a piping bag or bottle fitted with a nozzle attached
2. On top of the cakes, starting at outside edge and working in circles, pipe buttercream by squeezing a small amount onto cake at 90 degree angle, pulling up and away when icing strand is long enough (about 3 cm) stop squeezing and pull tip away at various angles (see pics for how-to)
3. Push fondant flowers and butterfly lightly into iced grass

Have a sweet day!

Inspirational Pins - Laundry Room Storage

Today in my series of posts "Inspirational Pins", I bring you some new pics of cute laundry rooms! We have decided on the layout for our new laundry room/cloakroom and I have started making my bird trail fabric blind for the window. I have my pretty Housekeeper's box , laundry tin and ironing board cover sorted so now I am looking for fresh pretty storage ideas to match. I have a few white wire hangers begging for a make-over and some bird trail oilcloth left over from my washing machine cover that needs to be turned into something!?! For more Laundry Room Inspiration check out my Laundry Room Ideas Pinterest board!

• Cath Kidston
• Smile and Wave
• Country-style utility room
• Clarke and Clarke
• Modern laundry room shelving
• Open strapping basket

Have a sweet day!

Turquoise highlighted craft room

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you some gorgeous inspirational pics of craft rooms with turquoise highlights. Check back soon for some more of the most inspirational photographers on Flickr.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

• The delightful wall art in little work table by Ms Julia B
• The gorgeous shabby chic Mirror on the Wall by *Heather Bailey*
• The quirky framed Butterflies by jasna.janekovic
• The creative Fruitbox filled with fabric by jasna.janekovic

Have a sweet day!